By Your Side (AlxWrath)
by ChayseElric
Summary: Wrath doesn't think he'll ever be good enough for Alphonse, but he never realized that his love was being returned, but never spoken of until it was too late.


Al x Wrath Songfic/One-Shot

By Your Side - Tenth Avenue North

_By Your Side_

* * *

_Why are you striving these days?_  
_Why are you trying to earn grace?_

* * *

Wrath stood in front of the mirror, his black-green hair falling straight over his back and shoulders, a sad smile crossed on his lips.

He looked at himself at different angles in the mirror, each time, his frown growing deeper.

He couldn't explain what it was, but something was telling him that he didn't look good enough.

That he _wasn't_ good enough.

Wrath was trying his hardest to be at least presentable to the man that he had fallen in love with.

But it seemed as he couldn't even get that right.

His already dark purple eyes seemed to darken as a harsh reality struck him, leaving him with a hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Wrath let out a shaky sigh, before repeating the words as they crossed his mind.

"I'll never be good enough for Alphonse."

* * *

_Why are you crying?_  
_Let me lift up your face,_  
_Just don't turn away._

* * *

Wrath squeezed his eyes closed, trying to fight off the oncoming tears.

But he realized that he wasn't even strong enough to fight off tears as they slowly dripped out of the corners of his eyes, falling and staining his white dress shirt.

Wrath gripped onto the side of his dresser, slowly slipping down to his knees with an audible clunk as the automail collided with the hardwood.

He barely managed to hold back sobs as he clamped his hand over his mouth, in an attempt to silence the horrific noises that were escaping, but even through his clamped hand, you could hear and see the sobs that shook his body violently.

"Wrath?"

Wrath continued to stare at the hardwood floor, not even bothering to bring his eyes up to meet with Al's

"Why are you crying?'

Alphonse dropped onto his knees beside the smaller boy, wrapping one arm around his torso and pulling him close.

But all Wrath could do, was bury his face and Al's chest and hug him tightly, the thin layer of cloth at his chest muffling his wretched sobs.

Alphonse pressed one finger underneath Wrath's chin, his green eyes staring into tear filled purple ones.

"Please."

"I'll never be good enough."

* * *

_Why are you looking for love?_  
_Why are you still searching?_  
_As if I'm not enough_

* * *

Alphonse sat on his bed, a book in his hands.

He wasn't reading, besides, he couldn't even focus on the words that were written on the thin paper.

His eyes were trained on Wrath, as he tried on and pulled off shirt after shirt.

"Why are you getting dressed up?"

"It's none of your business."

Alphonse felt a hint of sadness at the hissed words that were sent back at him, but he kept it inside.

"The white one looks the best on you."

"Thanks."

Wrath picked up the white shirt, not even putting it on before he dashed out of the room, the shirt hanging lifelessly from his shoulder.

All Alphonse could do was frown and stare at the book in his lap.

* * *

_To where will you go child?_  
_Tell me where will you run!_  
_To where will you run?_

* * *

Alphonse watched, his eyes darting over in confusion as Wrath pulled a black suitcase out from under his bed and threw it on the bed, the previous unneeded contents being flung out and onto the bed.

"Wrath?"

"What?" Wrath hissed, venom trailing through his words.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"Where will you go? You're only a child!"

"I don't know, anywhere but here." Wrath hissed back, hiding his fear behind a scowl.

"Tell me where you'll go!" Al shouted, standing up and walking over, pushing the sin against the wall.

"Why should you care?"

"I won't let you be left alone, Wrath."

* * *

_'Cause I'll be by your side wherever you fall_  
_In the dead of night whenever you call_  
_And please don't fight these hands that are holding you_  
_My hands are holding you._

* * *

A month later, Alphonse had moved out of the Rockbell residence and now resided in a run down apartment building.

He didn't mind the dinginess of the room he lived in, he didn't mind the noises he heard at night.

But the only thing he couldn't wrap his mind around, was the fact that he hadn't received a call from Wrath in over two weeks.

During the first weeks after the move, Wrath called everyday, wanting to know every single detail about his day, and how he liked his apartment, but after two weeks of that, the calls stopped coming.

Al only wanted to hear Wrath's voice, and he was debating picking up the phone himself and dialing Wrath, but his thoughts were cut off by a ringing that broke the silence.

It took Alphonse a few seconds to realize what the source of the ringing might be before he pulled himself off of his bed.

Al dashed to the phone, picking it off the hook and holding it to his ear by the sixth ring.

"Hello?"

"Al-Alphonse." Wrath sniffled, a broken sob escaping his lips.

"Wrath? What's wrong?"

"Can you come over?" Wrath whispered, a sob following after.

"Isn't Winry or Ed there?"

"No they've gone out for the night."

"I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Alphonse stated, hanging up the phone and not waiting for a response.

* * *

_'Cause I, I love you_  
_I want you to know_  
_That I, yeah I'll love you_  
_I'll never let you go, no, no_

* * *

When Alphonse finally reached the door to the Rockbell residence, he knocked lightly waiting by for a answer.

"Wrath!?" Alphonse called after waiting a long period of time, waiting for the young boy to open the door.

After the third time of him knocking, he tried the doorknob, finding the door unlocked.

Pulling open the door, Alphonse let himself in, kicking his shoes off at the doormat before closing the door behind him.

"Wrath?"

Alphonse called his name, hearing no answer in return.

"Wrath?" Al called once more, slowly climbing the stairs, his green eyes sweeping over his surroundings.

"He must be sleeping." Al whispered to himself, pulling off his jacket and draping it over the railing as he continued his walk to Wrath's room.

Al knocked lightly on the white wooden door to Wrath's room, but when he received no response he let himself down.

Wrath was sprawled across the bed, something enclosed in his hand that Alphonse couldn't fully see.

"Wrath?" Al called, walking over and jerking his shoulders lightly, coming close enough to see the dried tear tracks on Wrath's face.

"Wrath, wake up." Alphonse whispered, shaking him once again, stronger this time.

Alphonse jumped lightly when the thing Wrath was clutching in his hand fell to the floor, a hollow sound echoing the room.

Al darted around Wrath's bed, reaching down when he caught sight of the white bottle.

The same hollow sound echoed the room as Alphonse dropped the bottle, tears welling in his eyes.

He forced himself to his feet, crawling onto the bed beside Wrath, tears dripping onto the younger boy's face as Al crouched over him.

"Wrath, Please!" Alphonse shouted, pulling the seemingly asleep boy into his arms.

"Wrath wake up please!" Al yelled again, pressing two fingers to find a pulse, but only finding a faint barely there pulse.

"Wrath! I love you! Please wake up!" Al screamed, tears falling down his face in rapid rivers.

"Please! I love you! Don't leave!"

"I love you, I need you." Al sobbed, burying his face in the hair of his lifeless love.

* * *

_Here at my side wherever you fall._  
_In the dead of night whenever you call._  
_And please don't fight these hands that are holding you._  
_My hands are holding you._  
_Here at my side, my hands are holding you._

* * *

"I'm coming Wrath."


End file.
